Severus Gets a New Neighbor
by TragediesPainfulKiss
Summary: Sirius's name is cleared, but his money is still tied up and he is desperate to be away from Grimmauld Place. With such low funds, it's only natural he ends up in the slummiest of neighborhoods- Spinners End. Sirius is going to have a hard time fitting in with the rough neighborhood, especially as he steps on all their toes within minutes of walking into the place.
1. Chapter 1

Cokeworth had the same awful stench as always, a putrid odor seeping out of the filthy river. The stench was only made worse by the unusually high temperature that June morning. Spinner's End was even more dismal that the rest of Cokeworth, a great majority of homes simply abandoned and boarded up with whatever chunks of wood or cardboard that could be found. Broken streetlamps lay across the sidewalks, and stuck out every few feet from the nearly black river. The abandoned wool mill looked even closer to collapse than it had been the last time Severus had returned, and several new pieces of graffiti lines its decaying walls. Overgrown shrubs and briers lines the river along with several weeds and shards of grass.

In his perch beneath the a large oak tree, the only relief from the damned heat as no one in this part of town owned air conditioning, he cast a glance at his own decrepit house. From his spot in the empty lot where mostly all of the members of Spinner's End were huddled beneath the tree, he could easily keep an eye out for trouble. The damn police seemed to enjoy nothing better than harassing the various members who inhabited this slum. As if their lives were not wretched enough without their constant harassment. The only small silver lining that had occurred in the last decade of this slum was the abandoned house of the Giuseppe's collapsing and leaving them with this shaded area.

But the heat or the policemen were not the main focus for Severus that hot noon morning, the thing that kept caught his attention was the house directly across from him. Having just gotten back very late at night, he had not noticed that the old Baker houses windows were no longer boarded up. He turned his head toward the blonde woman who slumped against the tree trunk next to him. "What is happening at the Baker house?"

"Yesterday morning a man came into town and started to work on the house." Elise rasped, stopping to have a coughing fit. "He didn't stay for long, took of right after ripping the boards away."

"Who can blame him? Anyone in their right minds would run at the sight of this slum." The Colonel said in his rumbling voice, his blind eyes staring off at nothing in particular.

"Well, if he's poor enough he doesn't really have a choice does he?" Gordon rasped, his voice hoarse with the sickness that always seemed to afflict the town.

"Even if he's poor he likely has something better lined up." Severus muttered, knowing that Spinner's End was the very last option for anyone with a functioning brain. "Cokeworth is the slum of slums."

"And Spinner's End is even worse." Gordon agreed, stopping to cough heavily into a ratty rag. "He'd have to be the poorest of the poor to have to live here."

"Dammit!" Severus cursed as he watched young Gavroche stop from his play with the other unfortunate children to hack and hack. "Does everyone have croup again?" Hadn't he just passed out potions to the neighborhood to cure it? How the hell was something like croup so hard to get rid of? Especially with the aid of magic?

"What else is new?" Elise sighed, her usual joviality gone from both voice and face. "But all things considered it could always be worse."

"How so?" Gordon demanded, his face dripping with sweat.

"We are all still alive." Elise answered, a smile gracing her face again.

"Death would be a relief." The Colonel insisted sadly. "This isn't any life to be living."

"Must you men always be so negative!?" Elise demanded, exasperation in her voice.

"We're only being realistic, Elise." Severus countered, passing over the flask of water he'd been sharing with the small group leaning against the tree. It was filled with the water from the fountains on the good side of town, as no one dared to drink the water from the river of the taps. And as they were not wanted on the better side of town, most of the time the residents of Spinner End resorted to boiling water from the river in a time-consuming process. It was a rare treat when they could simply enjoy the pleasure of water immediately, even if it was warm.

"If life here is already so horrid, you don't need to add to it with your negativities. Can't you enjoy the small pleasures God gives us!?" Elise asked, her blonde hair sticking to her face. "Didn't Hilly just have a baby boy last night?"

Severus sighed, not in any mood to hear the light scolding but not daring the upset the skinny woman. While she was the happiest person he had ever meant, her rare anger was fierce. He simply nodded, closing his eyes in an attempt to keep the sun from stabbing into them.

"Yeah, and how is she going to feed it? Eight kids now- it's a wonder they're all still alive!" Gordon pointed out realistically. It was hard to keep one child fed in this ghetto, much less eight.

"Can't you be happy for her?" Elise asked. "She's finally got the girl she's wanted."

"We go all damn year without voicing a complaint as we toil away." Gordon barked. "You'll excuse me if I give in every now and then."

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Gavroche Smith ran about the alleyways without a shirt, his mates right beside him as they took turns kicking at a can with their bare feet. Careful to avoid the glass that there never seemed to be a shortage of, they laughed and coughed and coughed and coughed some more. He was in a particularly good mood, as the adults in the town had declared in entirely too hot for any real work to be done-especially for the children. Which was a rare occurrence as hard work was all anyone in Spinner's End had ever known. He could only recall one other time that had happened, and that was two years ago and it had been so cold that the Colonel had sworn he'd frozen solid for hours.

"Who're they?" Gavroche stilled as he noticed a man with black hair in front of the old Baker house along with a large group of people. They were all well-dressed, although some of them wore really odd clothes like Severus did when he went out late at night and didn't like to talk about.

"They have fancy clothes on." Flossy whispered, amazement in her eyes as she clearly noticed a silver bracelet on a bushy-haired girl.

"They're wearing _shoes_." Johnny breathed. "And it's not even winter time!"

"Let's get closer!" Gavroche insisted, already leading the way. They were quiet, used to be sneaky as they crept along up the alley until they were directly in front of the house, only a few feet away from the group and hidden by bags of rubbish as the garbage man never seemed to come to this part of town more than one a month.

Gavroche listened, not even having to strain his ears as life in Spinner's End revolved around stealth. "Merlin, it reeks! It's even worse in this heat!" The black haired man was gagging.

"That's the man from yesterday." Johnny whispered.

"It's only for a while, Sirius." A black-haired bespectacled boy was saying. "You'll get your money cleared up in no time. At least you're name is cleared."

"He used to be a prisoner." Gavroche exchanged excited looks with his friends, hoping that the man would have good stories to share from his time in prison.

"As soon as your accounts are freed up, you can get a better house." The teenager was saying again. "In a better neighborhood." He added, scrunching his nose up.

"At least you're out of Grimmauld Place." A scruffy looking man with greying brown hair was saying, his face green as if the smell was affecting him more strongly than anyone else in the group.

"Where's Grimmauld place?" Johnny asked. "It must be a rich part of London."

"If he's from a rich part of London, why is he here?" Flossy pointed out.

"Maybe he lost his money like the people here when the mill closed down." Gavroche reasoned. "Or when he went to prison."

"And don't you worry." A redheaded woman was saying, her face warm and kind like Elise's. "We'll have the house looking proper in no time." The woman's voice was just kind as her face and Gavroche immediately liked her.

"And I'm sure they neighbors are nice." The bushy-haired girl was saying, although her voice sounded as if she didn't really believe what she was saying.

"Oh yes." The black-haired man was saying sarcastically. "I'm sure they're not gutter trash at all."

Gavroche riled, anger filling him. How dare that man insult them? He didn't even know them! Like he should be talking! He was an ex-convict! At least no one in this place had ever been arrested- well at least not lawfully. They got arrested all the time, but only because the officer's seemed to think it was great fun to pick on them.

"We aren't gutter-trash." Flossy hissed, her eyes full of hurt.

"He's not any better." Gavroche nodded. "Let's go tell Elise! She'll chew him out!"


	2. Chapter 2

Sirius sweated disgustingly in the blazing sun as his small group sat outside on a break, in the small hope that the heat would be more bearable if they weren't all cramped together in the small house. "It's hotter than hell out here!" Sirius panted, wiping sweat off his brow.

"It is a bit hot, yes." Albus agreed, fanning himself with a ridiculously colored fan. "At least the young children running about don't seem to mind the heat."

Even as Albus spoke Sirius noticed three kids running about, chasing each other with sticks while pretending the sticks were swords. He scowled at the filth coating the children's skin and ratty clothing, and he was utterly perturbed by the greasiness and tangledness of their hair. Where were their mothers? Couldn't they at least afford a comb? He was almost certain a dip in the black water of the river would be able to do some good, that was how filthy they were. His disdain was only increased as they coughed their phlegmy coughs, not even bothering to stop from their play.

"Excuse me."

Sirius looked up from his perch on his lawn to see a petite blonde woman and brawny man staring down at him- the later with a look of fury on his face. He immediately grinned his flirtiest grin, hoping she could at least make his ordeal in this hell hole worthwhile. "Well, hello there."

"Don't you 'well, hello" me." The blonde woman said huffily, crossing her dirty arms across her chest.

Sirius's grin faltered. "I'm sorry? Did I do something to insult you?" He stood up, making sure to stretch so the pretty woman could see he had muscle.

"You sure did." She spoke sharply, but kept her voice low as she clearly wanted to keep any of the children from hearing her. "Three sweet little children heard you call them gutter-trash!"

Sirius faltered for a moment. While he had said it sarcastically, and hadn't known any children were around, he still had said the very words. "I didn't think anyone was around when I said it." He reasoned, not caring for the dirty look the man beside her was shooting him.

"So you really do think you're above us?" The man finally spoke up, his voice gruff. "Let me just give you a bit of advice- if you have any hope of lasting in this forsaken place you'd best stop putting on airs. We don't tolerate it here."

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Elise watched as the man took a step toward Gordon, panic filling her as she realized that the new man was wearing robes and that his hand was inching toward his pocket. Her breath caught, and she immediately wished Severus hadn't gone back inside his house to do who knew what. Casting her eyes about her she noticed the majority of the group was wearing robes, and even those that weren't had wands poking out of pockets in a manner most obvious.

"If the shoe fits wear it." The black-haired man scowled, stepping another step toward Gordon.

"Sirius! This is no way to treat your new neighbors." A very elderly man was quick to interject, but Elise was still on edge. The old man also had a wand. They were woefully outnumbered, and Elise wondered if perhaps she should run and go fetch Severus.

"Believe me, Albus. I'll be out of this dump in a week." Sirius spat, not backing away as Gordon took his own step forward. They were only inches apart now, and Sirius had clearly wrapped one fist about his wand.

"Gordon stop! He's like Severus!" She breathed, pushing herself between the two men. "Look, he's got a wand too!" At that, Gordon took a few steps back on his own accord, although he was careful not to betray any fear on his face. "They've all got one." She added, casting a nervous look at the three children who were still playing happily.

"You know Severus?" A tired looking man with greying brown hair asked, eyes wide.

"You know what he is?" Albus asked, a look of utter shock on his face.

"They can't possibly know!" A man with balding red hair asked. "It's completely against Ministry Policy."

"Oh, like Snivellus such a law-abiding citizen." Sirius sneered. "It's far from Snape to do anything illegal."

"You shut your mouth about Severus." Elise demanded, surprising herself with the intensity.

"Or what?" Sirius asked. "What are you and your little husband going to do?"

"Little?" Gordon asked, as he easily towered over Sirius in height and bulk.

"Gordon and I are not seeing each other." Elise added, disgusted at the thought as he was her brother. "He's my brother!" She stepped right up to Sirius, pointing a finger in his face. "And where do you get the sheer audacity to come into our neighborhood and start criticizing everyone and everything!? If you're going to be so petulant about it why don't you find someplace else!?" Nothing got her blood boiling more than prejudiced, spoiled people could.

"Please, if I may..." Albus spoke up, holding a pleading hand out until everyone reluctantly quieted. "I assure you all that Sirius is a very loyal and kind-hearted man. He is simply not used to such a lifestyle." The one man smiled, his eyes twinkling merrily. "If you give him time, I am sure you will find him to be quite a fun person."

"No one in this slum is going to so much as talk to him until he apologizes." Gordon growled. "Until then he can struggle on his own."

"That is completely understandable." The old man nodded. "Sir-"

"How do you know about wands?" A boy in glasses and dark hair interrupted.

"How do you think?" Gordon asked, not unkindly but his voice still gruff. "Hard not to know about them when one of our own is walking about with one doing all sorts of witchcraft."

"He's told you all about magic!?" The tired-looking man from before looked aghast.

"Everyone about here knows something isn't normal about Severus. No one ever asks, and he's never come right out and said it, but we all know he's a wizard." Elise explained slowly, looking around to make sure no one was listening in. Severus hated for these matters to be discussed. "What with the wand, and robes he's sometimes spotted in...and the 'medicines' he hands out...it'd be hard not to figure something was up."

"He's likely poisoning you, I'd stop drinking any potion he's giving out immediately." Sirius said rudely. "And a pretty, little thing like you should keep far away from a bad man like that."

Elise balked, flabberghasted at this mans gall. "How dare you?" She demanded. "Those potions have cured countless ailments! Severus is a good man!" She insisted, resisting the urge to slap the man. "He may be hard at times, but that's what this life makes of you!"

"Gavrosh!"

Elise was cut off when she heard Flossy screaming, her tiny voice being drowned out by howls from the young boy who was laying in the middle of the street clutching at his shoulder. He looked to be in agony and Elise quickly rushed out into the filth-strewn street and pulled the boy into her arms. It was easy to see the issue, Gavroche's shoulder was out of place in a grotesque display that had Johnny looking close to spewing.

"Oh my!" The red-headed woman from before was kneeling beside her, pushing the child's sweaty hair back from his face in a mother manner. "Poor thing."

"Flossy. Flossy! Go get Severus!" Elise spoke loudly over the howling, proud that Gavrosh hadn't so much as shed a tear yet. "Such a brave boy." She applauded, as Flossy ran quickly down the road to Severus's house. "It's hardly more than a scratch." She assured, nauseous even as she looked down at the dislocated joint.

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Severus had left the shade of the tree to go back to his house and send off a quick letter to Lucius. As soon as he had finished sending the owl off, he heard his door being pounded on in a rhythmic manner that told him it was Flossy. He sighed, assuming the small child had simply finished one of the books he had lent her and was eager to borrow another. Opening the door, he found his suspicions incorrect, as he noticed a panicked look on her face and heard yowling down the street.

He sighed. "Who got hurt this time?" He asked, walking briskly toward the sound of yelling.

"Who else?" Flossy asked, stopping to cough a little before running to catch back up with Severus who was a few feet away from the crowd. "Gavroche."

"Severus!" Elise looked relieved as he kneeled down beside her and looked Gavroche quickly over with his eyes. It didn't take long to figure out the source of his pain.

Severus kept his face a mask of calm, despite his alarm that many members of the order were there and could see him in his muggle clothing. He'd deal with that later, at the moment he had a child to fix up.

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Harry stared as Snape appeared and kneeled next to Elise. He could hardly believe that Snape was in black muggle trousers and a black long sleeved shirt sans robes. It seemed bizarre, but Snape fit in better with muggle society than Harry could have ever imagined.

"This is going to hurt, Gavroche." Snape warned, with what Harry could hardly believe was a tiny bit of concern. "And if you bite me, I swear I will throw you in that river."

"I won't." The boy insisted, looking dreadfully white as he lay limply in Elise's arms. "Just get it over with, won't you?"

"As you wish." Snape obliged, grabbing ahold of the arm before forcefully shoving the shoulder into place with one quick move. Molly gasped along with many other Order members and the Weasleys and Hermione, but Elise seemed used to the conduct as did Gavroche who didn't seem phased at the fact that his arm had been cured in a very unprofessional manner. "Can you move it, now?" Snape demanded. "Wriggle it."

Gavroche did as bid, and held his arm out wiggling his fingers in an obscene gesture toward Snape. Harry giggled along with the rest of the teenagers around him, until Snape grabbed ahold of the offending finger and pulled a knife from his trouser pockets to hold it up to the extremity.

"He's going to put you in his medicines!" The girl who had fetched Snape from earlier called out. "Eww! They'll taste worse!"

"Nothing can make those things taste worse." Elise laughed, as Gavroche and Snape were now locked in a battle of death glares as Snape still had yet to return the knife to his pocket. "Flossy you and Johnny come along with Gordon and I. Your mother said you'd help us gather some firewood."

"How come Gavroche doesn't have to help?" Flossy demanded, looking completely insulted.

"Because life isn't fair, is it? Elise said gently. "And his mother isn't around for me to get permission to borrow him."

"Why does he get to stay and have fun?" Johnny asked, clearly unaware that having Snape hold a knife to you was not anywhere near 'fun.'

"I'm fun!" Elise looked mildly insulted.

"I'd go now if I were you. I assure you I have chores of my own for Gavroche."

"I don't have to weed again do I?" Gavroche looked disappointed. "And you didn't ask my parents if you could borrow me."

"If you don't want to spend all night dusting, I'd quit while you're ahead." Snape warned, raising a brow at Gavroche who raised his own brow back.

"It's better than sleeping in the streets."

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Gavroche watched as Flossy and Johnny went along with Elise, excited that he had been allowed to stay with Severus. All Severus really asked him to do was dust his hundreds of books or weed in the garden, both activities that he didn't mind doing. He even liked working in Severus's garden, especially when Severus would allow him to go into the other half that was closed of because of all the magical plants in there. And Severus almost always talked with him and told him amazing stories while they worked side by side, making the chores seem like anything but. Sure, he loved spending time with Elise because she was warm and bubbly and coddled him at times, but spending time with Severus was different. It was like the same difference, he imagined, between spending time with one's mother or father. Just last summer, Severus had even taught him how to ride a bike after Severus had, Gavroche was sure of it, conjured it up from nothing but a rock. Severus looked out for him like a parent would, and he was grateful because he didn't really have any of those.

"What is going on?" Severus demanded, putting on a voice that Gavroche knew meant he was displeased, he was very happy that it wasn't directed at him. Instead, the glare seemed fixed on the man who had called them gutter-trash.

"Are they wizards too?" Gavroche whispered, hardly daring to believe something so exciting could ever happen to him in his hard-knock life. He wished Flossy and Johnny were around to witness this, but he was sure they'd at least get candy when they went with Elise and he could always tell them what had happened later. "I thought we were supposed to be secretive about magic...?" He was confused, wasn't Severus always telling him to keep quiet about it? So, why were these men out in about in robes? He had read in one of the books Severus leant him that that wasn't allowed.

Severus sighed heavily, looking really tired and slightly sunburned. "We do have to be secretive, but here in Spinner's End neither the magical nor the muggle world pay much attention." He explained. "But that doesn't mean you can just use your magic for whatever and whenever. There are still rules, just not as many here."

"But I read somewhere that kids under eleven _could _use their magic." Gavroche insisted.

"You are not like other undearage wizards." Severus insisted. "Your magic is more refined by my tutelage, it would be dangerous for a six year old to go about wielding the same type of magic an eleven year could do."

"But if I don't use a wand it's not illegal." He made a valid point, he knew he did, because Severus put an exasperated look on his face that he always did when Gavroche pointed out a loophole. "I could just use a stick."

"You are not to use an instrument for your magic yet, Gavroche. If I see you about doing such a thing, you'll rue the day." Severus threatened.

Gavroche swallowed. "But I can still do magic, right?" He couldn't give that up, that had been his one pleasure in this life of miseries. His magic made him special, he could change the world with his magic and make it better...he would.

"Yes, but none of that vandalizing the good side of town anymore." Severus warned.

"I wasn't vandalizing!" He protested. "All I did accidentally kill all the grass in front of the library." He explained. "I didn't even mean to!"

"You must learn to temper your anger, when you do you'll have better control of your magic." Severus explained, clearly eager to turn back to his conversation with the adults.

"I'm trying."

"You must try harder." Severus said simply, not unkindly, and in a tone that suggested Severus really did believe he could gain control of his power.

"I'll do it." Gavroche promised, eager to see the look of pride in Severus's eyes. "And when I get powerful enough, I'm going to get rich and be minister of magic and the muggle world!" He insisted, hope dancing in his chest. He'd make the world better, especially for Flossy. "And no one will be poor, and no one will be hungry anywhere."

The bushy-haired girl giggled. "You can't own Gringotts, you're not a goblin." She said sweetly, but still Gavroche bristled. She couldn't take his dreams away, no one could.

"And not too long ago woman weren't allowed to vote." He pointed out. "Things change. You'll see."

"You can dream all you'd like Gavroche, but I assure you it does little." Severus's voice was tired, as if it pained him that his words were words of discouragement. "And I promise you, being rich will not take your troubles away."

"But when that Draco boy talked to me, he said he got away with a lot of things other wizards couldn't because he was rich."

"Life's not fair." Severus reminded, a bit sharply. "It is only slightly more fair for the rich."

"When I'm rich," Gavroche promised, "I won't use being rich to do bad things, I'll do it for good things."

"And how will you make this fortune?" Severus asked, an amused gleam in his eyes.

"Hard work, I'll do anything to get there."

"You don't think the Colonel has been working hard his whole life?" Severus asked, pointing out the fact that dedication and drive simply didn't always result in reward. But Gavroche knew that, and despite that fact, he resolved to work himself down to the bone until he got to where he wanted to be. And no one would take that away from him.

"You will go far, Gavroche, just be aware that you most likely are not going to go as far as you'd like."

He nodded. He could live with that statement. Severus still believed in him, it was just that the man wanted him to be prepared for the slightest chance of disappointment. He would never fail, but he kept from telling Severus that as Severus already knew how determined he was. He didn't much care what anyone else thought of his dreams at the moment. That black-haired man could sneer down at him all he'd like, it had no effect on him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why are you here?" Severus demanded, already wondering if he'd have to send Gavroche out for firewood because if his fears were true, Black was apparently moving into the neighborhood and he'd have no choice but to burn it to the ground. That was if Gordon didn't get there first, as from what he understood Black had already pissed off two of the most prominent members of this neighborhood besides himself. Black would be lucky if he lasted the night.

"Why, we're all here to help Sirius move into his new house." Albus said simply, as if he expected Severus to be giddy at the response.

"Why here, Albus?" He hissed. "Why not anywhere else?" He finished, ignoring the look of mild alarm on Gavroche's face.

"The ministry has Sirius's money tied up at the moment, Severus." Albus explained, as if hoping to earn some sympathy from Severus. "And as precaution against those who wish to harm Sirius, as there are many out there who still believe him guilty, the ministry has decided Sirius must stay near another wizard."

Severus scowled deeply. "And why can't one of his mates take him in?"

Black returned Severus's glare. "Believe me, Snape, if there was any other option I'd have taken it."

"But what of all those mates of yours, dog? Have they so quickly abandoned you?" Severus taunted.

"At least I've got mates." Black spat, his face curling up into a vicious mask.

"As do I, Black. The only difference, it seems, is that mine are true as are all Slytherins- and that yours abandoned you." He pointed out. "Why can't you live with the wolf?"

"If you haven't forgotten, you got Remus fired!"

"If you haven't forgotten, Lupin should have taken his damn wolfsbane potion!" Severus barked.

"Maybe if you didn't make such disgusting rubbish, he'd actually be able to stomach it!"

"Then you can make the damn potion for him, if you don't feel I am doing an adequate job." Severus drawled, knowing full-well that he'd still make the damn wolfsbane potion for Lupin as Albus would not have it any other way.

"Monkshood taste awful, how is Severus supposed to make it taste good?" Gavroche piped up, reminding Severus that the six year old was still beside him. "Hardly any potions taste good."

"This doesn't involve you." Black spat at the child, but Gavroche stood his ground.

"I think the pepper-up potion tastes gross, but I still drink it without complaint because I'm not a whiner. If he's a werewolf, he really should be taking his potion." Gavroche argued, a defiant look on his face that served to further enrage Black.

"Yes, I should have." Lupin obliged, a contrite look on his face. "And I assure you, it hasn't happened since."

"I bet you're tired." The boy said knowingly. "The luna magna vena flowers are getting big."

"Have you been in the magical side of my garden without permission?" Severus demanded, looking down at the boy who kept a straight face despite being caught in a lie. Gavroche was clearly a born Slytherin.

"Yes, but I didn't touch anything and I stayed away from the Devil's Snare. I just like to sleep in there, because no one looks for me there."

"But don't your parents like for you to be at home with them?" Molly foolishly asked, as if it were not obvious that Gavroche's parents were awful people. Why would Gavroche be sleeping out in a garden if it were otherwise?

"Don't you think I'd sleep at home if that were the case?" The boy asked, raising a dirty eyebrow.

Molly looked flustered and horrified, and Severus felt no pity. What type of answer was she expecting? Not everyone had the luxury of parents who cared about their children's well-being.

"Don't be sad." Gavroche pleaded. "Elise takes good care of me." He smiled, trying to assure Molly that his life wasn't as awful as it was. The boy was a talented actor, and Molly's horror lessoned to unease. While Elise did take good care of him, there were parts of the day that she simply couldn't be around for the boy. She had to work didn't she? He was pulled from his dark thoughts as Gavroche hacked and hacked into his tattered sleeve in a sickly manner.

"I think potions are in order after I am done here." Severus drawled, wondering how croup managed to evade his efforts to eradicate it.

"Can I help make it?" Gavroche looked hopeful, his voice creaky but excited.

"I've already some premade, Gavroche. You can assist me in brewing the mandrake draught." Severus responded. "As it is your magical abilities far outweigh most of the third-years I teach." He was honest as always, Gavroche was easily able to make several potions that most second-years struggled with and he had no doubt he had a young potions master on his hands to take over when he died.

"But he can't possibly be making a potion like that at his age." Granger argued, not unkindly but more shocked.

"Yes I can!" Gavroche argued. "I even made a shrinking solution all by myself and Severus said it was perfect!"

"I hardly believe-" Black again.

"What you think is of little matter, Black." Severus was quick to defend the boy, infuriated at Black to no end.

"You can even occlude my mind and see for yourself." Gavroche added.

"Not everyone can do that." Albus said kindly, looking fondly at the boy who just stared blankly in return- immune to the headmasters twinkling eyes.

"Severus says only immature people are unable to do something so easy as clearing their mind." Gavroche paraphrased, leaving out the harsher 'adjectives.' "I can block my mind out _my _mind a little bit, and I'm only six." He had a proud look on his face, but not an arrogant one so Severus let him continue. "I can even poke into Severus's brain a little bit." He frowned heavily. "Not a lot though, even though he takes down most of his shields."

"You've been teaching him Occlumency!?" Lupin looked aghast.

"Was I not supposed to say that?" Gavroche asked, looking worried.

"It is not illegal to teach occlumency to children." Severus replied cooley. "Although it _is _frowned upon."

"He's six." Potter gasped.

Severus looked at the teenager cooly. "Indeed, Potter. A six year old is able to do more with Occlumency than you've managed in your fourteen years of life."

"Yeah, I bet he didn't have you breathing down his neck like a git." Black cut in.

"Yes I did!" Gavroche insisted, before looking sheepish. "But he's not a git, he's just tough!"

"That's enough Gavroche, I don't need you to defend me." Severus said gently. "You won't last here, Black. A spoiled brat like you, won't be able to live without his creature comforts." He snarled. He had turned to leave, but Albus had held out a hand.

"Gavroche, I don't believe I've properly introduced myself yet." Albus held out a hand but Gavroche refused to shake it. "I'm Albus Dumbledore."

"You're the headmaster at Hogwarts." Gavrosh stated. "I get to go in five years."

"Yes, and I am rather excited." Albus withdrew his hand but still smiled warmly. "You must be a very powerful young man, for Severus to speak so highly of you."

"Thanks." Gavroche looked uncomfortable, as if he was trying to figure out if he was being manipulated and Severus was proud of the intuitive child.

"You'll be a wonderful addition to Gryffindor." Albus added. "I already see so many traits in you."

"I'm not going to be in Gryffindor. I'm going to be in Slytherin." Gavrosh looked just as riled as Severus felt.

"Good luck with that." Black sneered. "You're muggle-born, you'll never make it to Slytherin."

"Gryffindor's are supposed to be brave, but you made it in." Gavroche countered. "Afterall, it isn't really brave to pick on a six year old just because you think you can scare him."

Black looked murderous and Severus smirked. If he didn't know any better, he'd have sworn the child was a miniature version of him.

"And its kind of prejudice to assume that only Gryffindor's are brave." Gavroche was tearing everyone a new a**hole, and Severus was enjoying the looks on peoples faces as a six year old told them what was up.

"I didn't mean to offend you so." Albus placated holding out a lemon drop for Gavroche who eyes it with suspicion.

"Is it safe to eat?" He asked, Severus. His eyes hopeful at the prospect of a treat.

"You're going to have to start trusting your intuition, you tell me." Severus ordered gently, pleased when Gavroche decided that Albus was trustworthy. The boy's intuition was as strong as everyone in Spinner's End, but Severus wanted to expand on that and get the boy up to his level as quickly as possible. Gavroche had great potential, and Severus had no doubt he'd be the kind of wizard needed to remove the dark stigma Slytherin held.


End file.
